CSP Episode 98: Keep Connected with David Siegel, CEO of Meetup 

2:54 Meetup offers people a way to connect with others, and the company’s mission is to help reduce the loneliness epidemic among the most vulnerable between their late teens and mid-20s. Meetup has over 60 million users in 200 countries, with over 260,000 Meetup communities worldwide. The goal is for people to be their authentic selves with a mission to help conquer loneliness, offering different ways to engage with others. 

3:43 David shares his background in Community, which stems from his childhood growing up in an orthodox Jewish family. He also experienced loneliness himself in different phases of his adult life. 

5:40 The story behind Meetup stems from the 9/11 attacks, and when people were experiencing fear, they started to meet their neighbors and bonded with each other during a challenging time. David said the founder of Meetup, Scott Heiferman, was one such person who said, “It shouldn’t take a tragedy for us to build community.” 

9:35 David shares why he wrote the book Decide & Conquer because he wanted to give insights, and he shares his interview process to become the CEO at Meetup. The project became a book because a colleague introduced him to a publisher, and he sent his manuscript, which got published and written in a few months. 

14:40 David recommends that new community builders be speedy in decision-making. So many leaders want to do the “right thing” and improve the world. They want to do their best but tend to have a “perfection” mindset. David advises on being able to try and adapt to the experience as it plays out. 

21:31 Meetup is the technology to get people off technology, but that strategy became challenging in the first experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic. David shares what the company did to shift from meeting in person to online. Since then, they are still 80 percent in-person and 40 percent online. 

28:59 David shares Meetup’s turnaround, shifting from losing 18 million pre-pandemic to flipping that into a profitable business model, making 3 million. It’s more than the money; it’s about building a sustainable business.  

30:06 Meetup announced changes to support the need for profitability by eliminating irresponsible money-burning practices, including parties, lunches, and dinners. He learned from Zappos that all the hired people love being there and are there for the right reasons. 

36:22 David shares tips for new community builders to help them build Community in their businesses when focused on growth and development. Community is also the best way to drive users to your brand. You can use a community to gain feedback about your product or service. 

46:20 Community is a powerful tool that leads to transformation. The value of Community is still being determined, and the job of a community builder is challenging. Meetup wants to flip the model that community builders can donate to support the organizers. Make it easier for people to join your Community, and it will thrive.